Rating Rationale
March 05, 2019 | Mumbai
Apis India Limited
Ratings downgraded to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3'
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.68.5 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL BBB-/Stable (Downgraded from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable')
Short Term Rating CRISIL A3 (Downgraded from 'CRISIL A3+')
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has downgraded its ratings on the bank facilities of Apis India Limited (AIL) to 'CRISIL BBB-/Stable/CRISIL A3' from 'CRISIL BBB/Stable/CRISIL A3+'.
 
The downgrade reflects AIL's high utilisation of bank limit and more-than-anticipated decline in operating margin, because of extensive focus on the B2C (business-to-customer) segment, which lead to substantial advertisement and employee expenses. Operating margin declined to 7.6% in the nine months through December 2018 in fiscal 2019, compared with 8.8% in the same period the previous year, and is expected to remain subdued over the medium term on account of higher focus on the Indian market. Furthermore, liquidity has remained under pressure in the past 12 months, as there has been a delay in sanctioning of enhanced limits. Sanction of additional bank limit and reduction in bank limit utilisation will remain key rating sensitivity factors over the medium term.
 
The ratings continue to reflect the extensive experience of the promoters in the honey export business, and AIL's established market position and above-average financial risk profile. These strengths are partially offset by stretched working capital cycle and exposure to intense competitive pressure.

Analytical Approach

In fiscal 2018, AIL set up a wholly owned subsidiary (Anantdrishti Smart India Pvt Ltd [ASIPL]), and a 49:51 joint venture (APIS Pure Foodstuff Trading LLC [Apis Pure]) with Multi Options General Trading LLC, Dubai. CRISIL has not combined the business and financial risk profiles of AIL, ASIPL, and Apis Pure because of low business and financial linkages.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths
* Extensive experience of the promoters and established market position: Benefits from the promoters' experience of more than two decades, and strong relations with stakeholders should continue to support business risk profile. Over the years, AIL has become one of the main honey exporters in India.
 
* Comfortable financial risk profile: Financial risk profile is healthy, with total outside liabilities to tangible networth ratio of 1.3 times as on March 31, 2018. Debt protection indicators were comfortable, too, with interest coverage and net cash accrual to adjusted debt ratios of 8.8 times and 0.24 time, respectively, in fiscal 2018.
 
Weaknesses
* Stretched working capital cycle: Operations are working capital intensive'with gross current assets of 237 days as on March 31, 2018'and likely to remain so over the medium term because the company has to keep a large inventory of honey the entire year.
 
* Exposure to intense competitive pressure: Intense competition'because of low entry barriers'continues to constrain the business. Furthermore, since focus on the B2C segment is higher, competition persists from larger players, which target the same customer base, thereby constraining profitability (9.9% in fiscal 2018, as against 14.2% in fiscal 2015).
Liquidity

Liquidity is adequate. Cash accrual - expected at Rs. 9.0-9.5 crore in Fiscal 2019 and Fiscal 2020 - could be used as working capital in the absence of any long-term debt obligations. Current ratio was adequate at 1.55 times as on March 31, 2018. Utilisation of bank limit'marked by frequent usage of standby line of credit - averaged 89% in the 12 months through January 2019. Enhancement in limit is pending as of now.

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes AIL will continue to benefit from the extensive experience of its promoters. The outlook may be revised to 'Positive' if a significant improvement in revenue and profitability, and efficient working capital management strengthen financial risk profile, especially liquidity. The outlook may be revised to 'Negative' if lower profitability, large working capital requirement, or sizeable debt-funded capital expenditure weakens key credit metrics.

About the Company

AIL was acquired by the Anand family in 20706, and is currently headed by Mr Deepak Anand. The company processes honey and sells in both domestic and global markets. It is also expanding in the B2C market and has introduced products such as dates, ginger garlic paste, pickles, and jam.

Key Financial Indicators
Particulars Unit 2018 2017
Revenue Rs crore 195.0 162.7
Profit After Tax (PAT) Rs crore 11.3 10.3
PAT Margin % 5.8 6.3
Adjusted debt/adjusted networth Times 0.85 1.20
Interest coverage Times 8.8 16.2

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of instrument Date of allotment Coupon rate (%) Maturity date Issue size
(Rs.Cr)
Rating assigned with outlook
NA Export Packing Credit NA NA NA 38.0 CRISIL A3
NA Bank Guarantee NA NA NA 0.5 CRISIL A3
NA Fund-Based Facilities NA NA NA 30.0 CRISIL BBB-/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  68.00  CRISIL BBB-/Stable/ CRISIL A3      28-09-18  CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+  17-10-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+  01-09-16  CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+  CRISIL BBB-/Stable/ CRISIL A3 
                09-10-17  CRISIL BBB/Stable/ CRISIL A3+       
Non Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  0.50  CRISIL A3      28-09-18  CRISIL A3+  17-10-17  CRISIL A3+  01-09-16  CRISIL A3+  -- 
                09-10-17  CRISIL A3+       
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Bank Guarantee .5 CRISIL A3 Bank Guarantee .5 CRISIL A3+
Export Packing Credit 38 CRISIL A3 Export Packing Credit 38 CRISIL A3+
Fund-Based Facilities 30 CRISIL BBB-/Stable Fund-Based Facilities 30 CRISIL BBB/Stable
Total 68.5 -- Total 68.5 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Approach to Financial Ratios
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating criteria for manufaturing and service sector companies
CRISILs Criteria for rating short term debt

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